Egypt: Kick-off Workshop for Judges on Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking in Persons

Aswan, February 2018

In collaboration with the National Coordinating Committee on Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling and the National Center for Judicial Studies, UNODC organized the first training seminar for 27 senior judges from Upper Egypt and Cairo including two military judges from Aswan.

Egypt is a source, transit, and destination country for trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants. Primary smuggling routes are from the Horn of Africa and Eastern Africa taken by migrants seeking passage to Europe by departing Egyptian shores. In 2016, Egypt adopted Law No. 82/2016 on Combating Illegal Migration and the Smuggling of Migrants, which merged the National Coordinating Committee for Combating and Preventing Illegal Migration and the National Coordinating Committee for Combating and Preventing Trafficking in Persons (NCCPIM & TIP). Together with law no. 64 of 2010 on trafficking in persons, Egypt has a comprehensive legal framework to combat trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants. UNODC supports the implementation of the legal framework with training series for police officers, prosecutors and judges in order to strengthen national capacity to investigate, prosecute and adjudicate crimes of human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

The participating judges gave very positive feedback, highlighting the need to continue its training series all over the country to acquaint the majority of the judiciary personnel with the related laws, and international conventions and protocols. It was mentioned in particular the need to raise awareness about the importance of adopting a victim-centered approach when dealing with TiP cases. Two Senior Egyptian Judges contributed to the training as trainers in addition to UNODC experts with very positive interactions and discussions on the implementation of the current laws.

The ceremony was opened by Ms. Cristina Albertin, the Regional Representative for UNODC, Ambassador Naela Gabr, Head of the National Committee, Counselor Omar Abdel Hafiz, Assistant Minister and Head of the NCJS and Mr. Joseph Whittle, North Africa Migration Adviser at the UK Embassy Egypt.

In her opening Statement, Ms. Albertin commended the efforts made by the Egyptian Government in Countering Smuggling of Migrants and Trafficking in Persons and stressed that UNODC Office in Cairo will continue its efforts to assist all institutions in Egypt to counter all types of organized crimes specially TiP and SoM crimes. Ambassador Gabr reiterated the willingness of Egypt to cooperate with all donors and international organizations to counter this new phenomenon and expressed her gratitude to UNODC and the UK Embassy for assisting Egypt to combat these crimes.

The seminar was held thanks to the generous support provided by the United Kingdom (UK-CSSF).